Largest asteroid in our solar system Ceres surrounded by water vapor (with finder chart)
Posted 23 January 2014 The European Space Agency announced this morning that their Herschel far-infrared space telescope has detected water vapor around the largest asteroid (or minor planet) Ceres in our solar system.
Observations by the Herschel space observatory between 2011 and 2013 find that the dwarf planet has a thin water vapor atmosphere. This is the first unambiguous detection of water vapor around an object in the asteroid belt. Image credit: ESA/ATG medialab
Ceres is currently visible in the morning sky and appears as a 8th magnitude star when viewed through either a large pair of binoculars or small telescope.
Ceres, Moon and Mars finder chart for 3 am AEST / 4 am AEDT Friday 24 January. Chart prepared using the highly recommended Sky Safari Pro tablet app. Used with permission.
The below chart has stars to magnitude 10 to assist with star hoping to Ceres. Note that Ceres will only appear as a faint star.
Ceres finder chart for 3 am AEST / 4 am AEDT Friday 24 January. Chart prepared using the highly recommended Sky Safari Pro tablet app. Used with permission. Note that the view through your telescope may look different depending the design of your telescope.
RT @Nightskyonline: Largest asteroid in our solar system Ceres surrounded by water (with finder chart): Posted 23 Januar… http://t.co/gfH…
RT @Nightskyonline: Largest asteroid in our solar system Ceres surrounded by water (with finder chart): Posted 23 Januar… http://t.co/gfH…
RT @Nightskyonline: Largest asteroid in our solar system Ceres surrounded by water (with finder chart): Posted 23 Januar… http://t.co/gfH…
RT @Nightskyonline: Largest asteroid in our solar system Ceres surrounded by water (with finder chart): Posted 23 Januar… http://t.co/gfH…
RT @Nightskyonline: Largest asteroid in our solar system Ceres surrounded by water (with finder chart): Posted 23 Januar… http://t.co/gfH…